Düsseldorf. Joining forces: viscom frankfurt 2008 – the international trade fair for visual communication and the Digital Signage Expo from the United States have decided to work together in the future. The annual DSE, which is alternately staged in Las Vegas and Chicago, is the world’s largest digital signage trade show and conference.

The more than 100 exhibitors offer interactive solutions and media networks for end-consumers in retail, entertainment, transportation, finance and public locations. The role of Digital Signage Expo in this cooperation will be to act as a mediator between viscom frankfurt and the American exhibitors, helping them to establish contacts as they set foot in German trade fairs for the first time. According to viscom Director Petra Lassahn, “Germany is the ideal country for American companies to enter the European market.” Angelo Varrone, CEO of Exponation, LLC, the parent company of Digital Signage Expo, adds, “a survey among our exhibitors has shown that there is a major interest in international expansion and Germany was singled out as one of the most interesting countries when it comes to expanding one’s market.”

The Digital Signage Expo exhibitors will also be responsible for part of the programme of supporting events at viscom frankfurt. Digital signage received a broader stage for the first time at last year’s viscom düsseldorf. This year, the trade fair will acknowledge the growing significance of the segment with a “Digital Signage Day”, including many presentations, practical examples and a podium discussion. “We would like the digital signage segment to become a new core segment at viscom”, revealed Petra Lassahn and added that, “this cooperation agreement means that we have now accomplished a major step towards achieving this goal.”

The Best Practice Award in the digital signage segment will also be awarded for the second time at viscom frankfurt: the three categories, in which manufacturers, service providers, commercial enterprises, agencies and integrators can register their products, are “retail signage” – digital signage applications in business; “information signage” – digital signage applications that supply information on public displays and “routing signage” – digital signage applications that are used as routing systems in public areas. This year’s viscom 2008 will take place from 30 October to 1 November in Exhibition Hall 3 of the Frankfurt Exhibition Centre.Altogether 200 international exhibitors and 7,500 visitors from 30 countries are expected.

Source: www.viscom-messe.com.